BRINGING SCHOOLS TO OUR FAMILIES’ HOMES

This week, we tried something entirely different.  

Buoyed by the experience of technology use during Covid, and a determination to try something new, Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) took our schools into the homes of our students. And before you start thinking about a travelling roadshow, I should explain that we did none of it physically, and all of it, virtually.

Sydney Catholic Schools has more than 71,000 students across 150 primary and secondary schools and more than 10,000 staff members. We are a large organisation by any measure. 

Last years’ experience with Covid taught us many lessons. One of those was how to communicate effectively with large numbers of people using the latest technology. While nothing can replace face-to-face contact, parents and carers are leading incredibly busy lives and we’re constantly looking for ways to deliver important information to them in the quickest and most accessible way. But what if we could also make that communication entertaining, interactive, and a “first”? 

Titled Part of Something Bigger, the Family Forum was created, produced and live-streamed from a small studio in Chippendale, Sydney.  

Hosted by myself and SCS’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Jacqueline Frost, in the form of a TV chat show, the event brought to life the many opportunities available to students by being part of a bigger network of schools. Topics were wide-ranging and included: teaching and learning, enhanced curriculum (performing arts, sport, and languages), classroom design, and the importance of faith-based work in the community. 

Throughout the interactive forum, the audience was invited to vote for topics they wanted the hosts to expand on further and these were: the integration of literacy and numeracy; teaching standards; student wellbeing; entrepreneurship; and SCS’s involvement in community social justice programs and Catholic parish communities.

So, what did I learn?

• That (encouragingly) our families are interested in so much more than HSC and NAPLAN results for their children and want to know about our student wellbeing programs; building skills and opportunities in vocational training and entrepreneurship and our community social justice initiatives. 
• With 2,500 registrations, we learned that some of our families are early adopters of new forms of technology and are curious and positive about new and different ways to communicate.  
• That with forums like this, it’s easy to interact with the audience, in this case, our families and staff, and get real-time feedback.
• That I will never get used to seeing myself on screen. And we are always our own worst critics. 

The education of our children is a deeply personal issue. Connecting to parents and families about their child’s education is vital. 

Our first Family Forum showed me that with enough interaction, interest, and imagination, not only can this type of communication and engagement work, but it’s exciting, refreshing, memorable, and a surprisingly connecting way to create and build community.